Thesis (M.S.)--California Polytechnic State University, 2010. / Title from PDF title page; viewed on June 21, 2010. Major professor: Terry L. Vassey, Ph.D. "Presented to the faculty of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo." "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree [of] Master of Science in Agriculture, Specialization in Environmental Horticulture Science ." "June 2010." Includes bibliographical references (p. 56-58).

Inaug.-diss.--Göttingen. / Lebenslauf. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2008. / Stieglitz, Marc, Committee Member ; Guillas, Serge, Committee Member ; Fu, Rong, Committee Member ; Curry, Judith, Committee Member ; Dickinson, Robert, Committee Chair.

Thesis (M.Phil.)--Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 145-154). Also available in electronic version.

Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 24, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The application of water and nutrients via a drip irrigation system influences the water distribution in the soil, soil characteristics and root distribution beneath the dripper. To determine the water distribution pattern beneath a dripper in sandy soil, EnviroSCAN (Sentek) capacitance probes were installed directly below the dripper and at distances of 20, 40 and 60 cm from the dripper. The continuous monitoring of the soil water content (SWC) beneath the dripper provided a good indication of how the water applied through the dripper is distributed in the soil. In this study a semi-impermeable layer in the soil was detected through observing water accumulation patterns in the SWC. Water accumulated above the layer and SWC values increased to far above the upper level of easily available soil water (EAWupper),while the lower soil layers remained drier. The measurements also show that the horizontal water movement is restricted to 20 cm from the dripper. Specific parameters, such as the lower level of easily available soil water (EAWlower),can be used to determine optimal irrigation management. Together with the water distribution study, the root distribution beneath a dripper was also investigated. A high concentration of roots in the area beneath the dripper was found, which corresponds with the area wetted by irrigation. In another study, three irrigationlfertigation methods where investigated to ascertain the influence on soil characteristics and root distribution. These were: micro irrigation (MI) (micro-spinner irrigation with broadcast granular fertilization), conventional drip fertigation (CDF) (daily drip irrigation with daily or weekly fertigation with a unbalanced nutrient solution, containing macronutrients only) and daily drip fertigation (DDF) (daily fertigation of a balanced nutrient solution, containing macro- and micronutrients). The study was conducted in two locations, viz. in the Western Cape Province, on sandy soil, and in the Eastern Cape Province, on silt loam soil. Micro Irrigation: A wide and even root distribution in the entire wetted volume was found on the sandy and silt loam soil. On the sandy soil, the soil pH(KC1)directly beneath the spinner was significantly lower than the pH(KC1)at positions further away from the spinner. Conventional Drip Fertigation: Root studies on sandy soil indicate a poor root development beneath the dripper, with a high concentration of roots in the area between the drippers. The poor root development directly beneath the dipper may be due to oxygen deficiency and/or acidification beneath the dripper. The soil pH(KC1)values show a significant lower pH(KC1)value directly beneath the dripper than further away. In comparison to the sandy soil, the roots developed well beneath a dripper in a silt loam soil. It appears as if soil acidity and/or oxygen deficiency was not a problem on this soil type. The rest of the root system was also well developed. This may be due to this soil's higher water holding capacity which creates a bigger wetted zone. Daily Drip Fertigation: In the sandy soil it seems that the roots developed in a continuous column beneath the dripper line, with little root development further than 20 cm from the dripper line. Where over-irrigation occurred, it caused a poor root development directly beneath the dripper. The root density in this treatment was much higher than in the other two treatments. The use of a balanced nutrient solution and pulse irrigation may be reasons for the better root development. In a silt loam soil a very high concentration of roots was found beneath the dripper and the rest of the root system was also well developed. As with the CDF treatment, it appears as if oxygen deficiency was not a problem on this soil type. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die toediening van water en voedingstowwe deur 'n drip-besproeiings stelsel beïnvloed die waterverspreiding in die grond sowel as die grondeienskappe en wortelverspreiding onder die dripper. Die waterverspreiding onder 'n dripper in 'n sandgrond is bepaal deur EnviroSCAN kapasitansie meetpenne direk onder die dripper en 20, 40 en 60 cm van 'n dripper af te installeer. Die aaneenlopende monitering van die grondwaterinhoud het 'n goeie indikasie van waterverspreiding in die grond gegee. Die horisontale waterbeweging is grootliks beperk tot 'n 20 cm radius vanaf die dripper en die waterbeweging was hoofsaaklik in 'n vertikale rigting. Die teenwoordigheid van 'n semi-deurlaatbare grondlaag in die grondprofiel is opgemerk deur water-akkumulasie in die profiel waar te neem. Wortelverspreiding onder die dripper is ook ondersoek en 'n hoë konsentrasie wortels is in die benatte sone gevind. In 'n verdere studie is drie besproeiings/sproeibemestings behandelings gebruik om die invloed van besproeiing/sproeibemesting op grondeienskappe en wortelverspreiding te ondersoek. Die drie behandelings was: mikro-besproeiing (mikro-besproeiing met korrelbemesting), konvensionele-drip-sproeibemesting (daaglikse drip-besproeiing met daaglikse of weeklikse sproeibemesting van 'n ongebalanseerde, voedingsoplossing wat alleenlik uit makro-elemente bestaan) en daaglikse-drip-sproeibemesting (daaglikse drip-besproeiing met daaglikse sproeibemesting van 'n gebalanseerde voedingsoplossing wat mikro- en makro-elemente bevat). Die studie is in twee areas gedoen, een in die Wes-Kaap, op 'n sandgrond, en die ander in die Oos-Kaap, op 'n slik-leemgrond. Mikro-besproeiing: Die wortelverspreidings studies op die sand- en slik-leemgrond wys op 'n wye en eweredige wortelontwikkeling in die totale benatte volume. Op die sand grond is gevind dat die grond pR(KCl)direk onder die sproeiertjie betekenisvol laer was as die pR(KCl)waardes verder weg van die sproeiertjie. Konvensionele-drip-sproeibemesting: Die wortelverspreiding in die sandgrond wys op geringe wortelontwikkeling direk onder die dripper met die hoogste konsentrasie wortels tussen die drippers. Grondversuring en/of suurstoftekorte onder die dripper kan die oorsaak wees van die swak wortelontwikkeling direk onder die dripper. Die grond pR(KCl)direk onder die dripper was betekenisvol laer as die pR(KCl)verder weg van die dripper. In vergelyking met die sandgrond, het die wortels in die slik-leemgrond goed ontwikkelonder die dripper. Dit wil voorkom of versuring en suurstoftekorte onder die dripper nie 'n probleem was in die slik-leemgrond nie. Die res van die wortelstelsel was ook goed ontwikkel. Dit mag wees weens die grond se hoë waterhoudingsvermoë wat 'n groot benatte area tot gevolg het. Daaglikse-drip-sproeibemesting: In die sand grond wil dit voorkom asof die wortels in 'n aaneenlopende kolom onder die dripperlyn ontwikkel met weinig wortelontwikkeling verder as 20 cm van die dripperlyn. Waar oorbesproeiing 'n probleem was, was daar weinig wortelontwikkeling in 'n klein area direk onder die dripper. Die wortel-digtheid in die behandeling was baie hoër as in die ander behandelings. Die gebruik van 'n gebalanseerde voedingsoplossing en puls-besproeiing mag dalk redes wees vir die beter wortelontwikkeling. In die slik-leemgrond is 'n hoë konsentrasie wortels onder die dripper gevind en die res van die wortelstelsel was ook goed ontwikkel. Soos in die konvensionele-drip-sproeibemesting behandeling wil dit voorkom of suurstoftekort en versuring onder die dripper nie 'n probleem was in die grond nie.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:24:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2011-08-05Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:52:29Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 trabulsi_mcm_me_botfca.pdf: 565458 bytes, checksum: c26dff5da232d30b005b2b5b62a46498 (MD5) / O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar as relações hídricas no solo em função de diferentes espaçamentos em uma floresta de curta rotação, assim como o crescimento das árvores de Eucalyptus urograndis. A implantação da floresta ocorreu em dezembro de 2008 e o experimento somente foi instalado em janeiro de 2010. A área total de dois hectares foi subdividida em cinco parcelas com espaçamentos diferentes (2,8 metros entre linhas e 0,5, 1,0, 1,5, 2,0 e 2,5 m entre plantas). Foram feitas análises da umidade do solo semanalmente, através de dois métodos, gravimétrico e dos tensiômetros. Nas cinco parcelas com o plantio de Eucalyptus urograndis foram instaladas, aleatoriamente, três baterias de tensiômetros a duas profundidades, sendo 0,30 e 0,90 metro. Os dados foram coletados de fevereiro de 2010 a janeiro de 2011. Ao começar a época da seca, em julho de 2010, iniciou-se a coleta de amostras de solo pelo método gravimétrico. Foram coletadas três amostras por parcela e por profundidade, totalizando 30 amostras, sendo que o local de coleta foi escolhido aleatoriamente dentro de cada parcela, porém a 0,50 metro da linha de plantio. Os dados do potencial matricial foram obtidos através dos tensiômetros e transformados em umidade por curvas de retenção de água determinadas na área. Os dados pluviométricos foram obtidos através da Estação Agrometeorológica da Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, sendo utilizados para elaborar o balanço hídrico da região através do Método de Thornthwaite e Matther. Também foram avaliados aspectos físicos do solo como: densidade de partículas, densidade do solo e porosidade total. Para obter a informação sobre o crescimento das árvores, foram coletados no início e ao final do experimento, dados de altura e diâmetro de 30 árvores... / The aim of this study was to evaluate the soil-water relations in the soil as a function of different spacing in a short rotation forest and evaluate the growth of Eucalyptus urograndis. The forest was planted in December 2008 and this research was installed in January 2010. The two hectares area was subdivided in five plots with different spacing (2.8 x 0.5, 2.8 x 1.0, 2.8 x 1.5, 2.8 x 2.0, 2.8 x 2.5 meters). The moisture soil was analyzed thought two methods, gravimetric and tensiometers. In all the five plots, it was installed three batteries of tensiometers in two different deeps, 0.30 and 0.90 meters. Data was collected from February 2010 to January 2011. When the dry season has begun, in July 2010, the samples started to be collected thought gravimetric method. It was collected three samples by plot and deep, in a total of 30 randomized samples inside the plots, but 0.50 meter from the row. Matric Potential data was obtained thought tensiometers and changed to moisture thought retention curves. Pluviometer data were obtained from Agronomic Sciences Faculty Agrometeorology Station and used to elaborate the water balance of the region thought Thornthwaite Method. Soil physics were evaluated. The growth of the trees was evaluated collecting high and diameter breast high. The spacing 2.8 x 2.5 m has fewer trees, so there’s more water in the soil. And the spacing 2.8 x 0.5 m has more trees, less water in the soil because of the competition between plants

Resumo: O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar as relações hídricas no solo em função de diferentes espaçamentos em uma floresta de curta rotação, assim como o crescimento das árvores de Eucalyptus urograndis. A implantação da floresta ocorreu em dezembro de 2008 e o experimento somente foi instalado em janeiro de 2010. A área total de dois hectares foi subdividida em cinco parcelas com espaçamentos diferentes (2,8 metros entre linhas e 0,5, 1,0, 1,5, 2,0 e 2,5 m entre plantas). Foram feitas análises da umidade do solo semanalmente, através de dois métodos, gravimétrico e dos tensiômetros. Nas cinco parcelas com o plantio de Eucalyptus urograndis foram instaladas, aleatoriamente, três baterias de tensiômetros a duas profundidades, sendo 0,30 e 0,90 metro. Os dados foram coletados de fevereiro de 2010 a janeiro de 2011. Ao começar a época da seca, em julho de 2010, iniciou-se a coleta de amostras de solo pelo método gravimétrico. Foram coletadas três amostras por parcela e por profundidade, totalizando 30 amostras, sendo que o local de coleta foi escolhido aleatoriamente dentro de cada parcela, porém a 0,50 metro da linha de plantio. Os dados do potencial matricial foram obtidos através dos tensiômetros e transformados em umidade por curvas de retenção de água determinadas na área. Os dados pluviométricos foram obtidos através da Estação Agrometeorológica da Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, sendo utilizados para elaborar o balanço hídrico da região através do Método de Thornthwaite e Matther. Também foram avaliados aspectos físicos do solo como: densidade de partículas, densidade do solo e porosidade total. Para obter a informação sobre o crescimento das árvores, foram coletados no início e ao final do experimento, dados de altura e diâmetro de 30 árvores... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the soil-water relations in the soil as a function of different spacing in a short rotation forest and evaluate the growth of Eucalyptus urograndis. The forest was planted in December 2008 and this research was installed in January 2010. The two hectares area was subdivided in five plots with different spacing (2.8 x 0.5, 2.8 x 1.0, 2.8 x 1.5, 2.8 x 2.0, 2.8 x 2.5 meters). The moisture soil was analyzed thought two methods, gravimetric and tensiometers. In all the five plots, it was installed three batteries of tensiometers in two different deeps, 0.30 and 0.90 meters. Data was collected from February 2010 to January 2011. When the dry season has begun, in July 2010, the samples started to be collected thought gravimetric method. It was collected three samples by plot and deep, in a total of 30 randomized samples inside the plots, but 0.50 meter from the row. Matric Potential data was obtained thought tensiometers and changed to moisture thought retention curves. Pluviometer data were obtained from Agronomic Sciences Faculty Agrometeorology Station and used to elaborate the water balance of the region thought Thornthwaite Method. Soil physics were evaluated. The growth of the trees was evaluated collecting high and diameter breast high. The spacing 2.8 x 2.5 m has fewer trees, so there's more water in the soil. And the spacing 2.8 x 0.5 m has more trees, less water in the soil because of the competition between plants / Orientador: Saulo Philipe Sebastião Guerra / Coorientador: João Carlos Cury Saad / Banca: José Mauro Santana da Silva / Banca: Kelly Cristina Tonello / Mestre

No description available.

Drought is the most costly hazard among all natural disasters. Despite the significant improvements in drought modeling over the last decade, accurate provisions of drought conditions in a timely manner is still one of the major research challenges. In order to improve the current drought monitoring and forecasting skills, this study presents a hybrid system with a combination of remotely sensed data assimilation based on particle filtering and a probabilistic drought forecasting model. Besides the proposed drought monitoring system through land data assimilation, another novel aspect of this dissertation is to seek the use of data assimilation to quantify land initial condition uncertainty rather than relying entirely on the hydrologic model or the land surface model to generate a single deterministic initial condition. Monthly to seasonal drought forecasting products are generated using the updated initial conditions. The computational complexity of the distributed data assimilation system required a modular parallel particle filtering framework which was developed and allowed for a large ensemble size in particle filtering implementation. The application of the proposed system is demonstrated with two case studies at the regional (Columbia River Basin) and the Conterminous United States. Results from both synthetic and real case studies suggest that the land data assimilation system significantly improves drought monitoring and forecasting skills. These results also show how sensitive the seasonal drought forecasting skill is to the initial conditions, which can lead to better facilitation of the state/federal drought preparation and response actions.